Studies of stalk-eyed flies suggest that individuals with longer eye-stalks are more successful in conflicts between males, and therefore have an advantage when establishing territory. Discover more about the behaviour of this species.

Images

A mounted specimen of the Achias rothchildi stalk-eyed fly held at the Museum.

A close up of the wing of Achias rothchildi,a stalk-eyed fly from Papua New Guinea.

A tropical rainforest in Papua New Guinea.

Achias rothchildi with a body length of 13.5 -16 mm and a wing length of 14 -16.5 mm.

A long eye-stalk of the male Achias rothschildi . The eye-stalks are mainly used for display in confrontations with other males as they try to establish territory in order to attract a mate. The eye stalks vary in length between individuals - those with longer stalks tend to be more dominant.